Collapsible gate



Jan. 24, 1928.

1,657,284 H. W. SHONNARD COLLAPSIBLE GATE Filed April 17. 1926 2 Smets-sheet 2 @51g @wow-m a Patented Jan. 24, 1928.,

Unirse STATES PATENT OFFICE.

, HAROLD w. snonnann, or mencionarse., naw JnnsnY, .sesiones rro nLnVA'ron SUP- rtrns consent?, me., ooarona'rron on new JERSEY.

COLLAPSIBLE GATE.

Application filed April 17, 1926. i Serial No. 102,605.

Folding or collapsible gates such as are commonly used on elevatorl cars, and in other f localities where` economy of space is desirable, are made of pairs ot parallel metal bars united by a web composed of flat metal strips crossing each other and pivotally connected among themselves. Some ot the crossed slats ci' the webbing are connected. with certain of the parallel bars by iixed pivots; and thus the webbingexpands or contracts on the lazy tongs principle as the parailellbars are separated or pushed together in closing or opening the gate.

In gates of this kind, the mutual connections among the slats that form the webbing are formed by simply passing rivets through openings that register where twoslats cross, and forming heads in the usual manner on each rivet to hold it in place. lThis modo oft fastening is the cause ot trouble and annoyance.

In the course ot use the rivet `holes wear larger and larger so that the slats and rivets rattle noisily when the gate is pushed back and forth. To prevent this so long as possible, the rivets are made extra tight, and,

in consequence, when the gate is new it is s'titl jointed andharder to operate.

Again, many of these gates are arranged in combination with mechanical contrivances tor opening and closing them. ln order to work properly, such contrivances must be adjusted in proportion to the etliort to be exerted with eaclroperation. Since gates made as above described move more and more easily as they wear loose, these mechanicaly gate operators must be constantly readjustcd to tit new conditions. 'lhis entails a considerable expcusein the ornjliloyinent of skilled men.

Another imperfection found in gates oit this kind in the fact that the `web is imi perfectly con lined between the pairs oit pau allel bars, except where pivoted to them at lined points. This is a causo ot rattling and oft undue wear.

My present invention provides a structure l'or folding gates oit this general type in 'which there is used a novel torni of pivotal connection between the slats that constitute the web as well as between these slats and the pairs of parallel bars, whereby wear is almost entirely eliminated. rlhis makes it possible to malte la new `gate which will move steadying contact between the web and the intersecting` pairs of parallel bars. This feature of my improvement applies not only Vto the fixed pivotal connections but also tok the pivots that travel up and down these bars as the vweb expands and contracts in closing and opening the gate.

The invention is illustrated in a preferred' torni in the accompanying drawings wherein Figure l is a diagrammatic view in elevation of a complete folding gate, Figure 2 is a view in elevation on a larger scale of a portion of the collapsible web and Figures 3, t and 5 are'isectional views of three ditferentiorms of pivotal connections used in my improved gate. i

The parallel bars (usually vertical) are shown in Figure l at l0, and, as shownin Figures 3 to 5, these are preferably made ot pairs of angle bars l0 and l1 which are held together by the fixed pivotal jointsho'wn in Figure 4.

The crossed slats` constituting the lazy tongs web that unites the bars 10 are sho-w at l2 and 13 in FiguresBA, and 5.

llhe intersections at which these slats are pivotally, and `yetfreely united, are'y con-4 structed. as shown in Figure El. Figures; shows certain special points of intersectiml at which the web is united to the parallel bars. Figure 5 shows the constructionat the extremities oit' slats 1&2 at the two sides l bushing of the bushings lie preferably in Contact between the web slatslancl llas shown in Figures and 5.

'.lhroup'h the registering openings of the eoutiguous bushings. 'lt at eat'h interset'tion tlierefpasses a hardlu'cnize pivot pin IS. This has redueed ends, shown, upon whichV are'inounted the steel dises llrpliiretf erably held in place by upsetting` the ends ot the pin 18, as at 20.

The discs 19 may either be hard and fast on theenels ofthe pin 18,` or they -niay be loose enough to revolve and thus constitute rollers; i

- In eitheriease they occupy thespaee between the wings of the channel bars 10, 11, as shown, being slightlyiless in diameter than the space between these Wings. The aniount'ot'playeither parallel to-or at right angles to the plane oi: the web is quite small,

`and in Aemisequenee there will be `no appretit with regiistering openings in the bars It),`

ll. The ends `of liarevupset as shown, in a manner to bringt-he 'outer surfaces of the discs 19 `aga-inst orv ry near to the inner surfaces of the bottoniot the channel ot each bar. `The `pivot pin 18 thus unites thepairs of parallel bars Il, 10 to eaelr other while also affording `spacing means to keep these bars ltliiand` II the `right distante apart. f p i At the single unerossed `extremities.ot

.eertain slats 12 on the two lsides of the gate,

the structure is the saine as that -slrofvvnin Figure 3,`.saveithat the `slat 13 and collated .bushing -lt are `replaced by the cylindrical sparing` collar 2l which `titsn snulgljvY upon tliepni 18.and abnts atritsl ends upon the 1G and the dise HI9 respeCtively.

Yand exterior flanges `with the other.

slats slats `having `uregistoring peripheryfoi said openings being bent out- `possible to regulate the lit of the pivots at so that llf` at lil-st the intersections of the web slot.' the);v shall not he too tlg-ht and s `and shall give slim-tantiallyv the saule ref sistanee to movement after use as at lli-st. The sitigucture shown also `provi:lestmeans 'lor noiselessl)Y guidingh and eonliningr the web slats asiwellias properly securing and spaeing` the pairs ot' parallel bars,

1. In a foldinggate ol the typedest-ribed, intersecting' `web slats having registering; openings provided with steelbushingsyand brass pivot pins fitting.;` said" bushings.

2. Apparatus as in elaiin` l wherein ezieh pivot pin has reduoedends and wherein steel dises are mounted on said reduced ends. l

3. Apparatus as in elaiui l uwherein the peripheries of `the registoringl openings are bent outu'ardto -iloriniinterior shoulders and lwherein `the bushings are iliade to lit said shoulders and `are provided Awith interior adapted to seeure the bushing in place. f 1

4. r'tpparatus as in claim il `whereinthe luishingsoccupying registeringopeniiws have flat interior flanges inliicoutaet the one In a folding gate, interserting.; wel having registering openings the periphery of said openings heingfbent out- -ward `to torni interior shoulders `and having bushings -n'iadewto `fit said shoulders and, provided With flanges adapted to secure `the `l-)ushingfs in place.

(. In a Ifolding` gate `interseetingr `web openings the Ward lto torni -`interior shoulders,l i bushings `fitting` said shoulders and nieans "lor holding saidbushings in place.

In testimonywhereof I havehereto allixeil my signature.

IIARQLI) Vt. SHONNARD.

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